An Introduction To Classroom Debates


A. Preparing For A Debate?

  • Students need to be clear in their understanding of what a debate is!
  • Provide students with examples of professional debates (e.g. House of Commons, Presidential)
  • Brainstorm possible debate topics with your students.
  • Invite a Debate Team to your class (e.g. highschool students)

    Details:

  • There is a "For" team and an "Against" team.
  • Teams make their arguments FOR or AGAINST a particular statement.

    B. Organize The Teams

  • Divide your class into two teams.
  • Assign one team to be FOR and one team to be AGAINST.

    C. Decide Teamwork Expectations:

  • Discuss with your class, what the expectations should be for a positive teamwork experience. (e.g. group rapport, taking turns, respecting the views of others, keeping noise to a minimum)
  • Instruct teams to nominate a team CAPTAIN.
    (Responsibilities include: maintaining team discipline and focus, leadership, being fair and unbiased, delegating group member responsibilities)
  • Decide who and how teams will NOMINATE a team Captain (discuss fairness in nominations, deciding to let your name stand for a nomination, show of hands, tallies, drawing names from a hat, etc.)
  • GROUP MEMBER Responsibilities: to support the captain, plan and research arguments, participate actively in planning and discussions, collate information and maintain self-control.

    D. Planning The Argument:

  • Review Teamwork Expectations and tasks with your students.
  • The teacher's role is facilitator . . . monitor each group to assist with understanding their roles, maintaining focus, brainstorming research topics, etc.
  • After teams have nominated a Captain and brainstormed research topics, team members should assume responsibility for researching their supporting topics, using all available resources.
  • Once resources have been collected, it is important that each group member have an opportunity to present their research and materials to the group for discussion.
  • At that point, the group will need to decide if and how that information should be used, and assist members in supporting their arguments. (Would the information contribute to the defence of the argument?)
  • Encourage each team to try to conjecture what the other team's arguments and responses may be, so that team members are as prepared as they can be!



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